Description

MERCEDES CAPSIR (BARCELONA, SPAIN, 20 JULY, 1895 – SUZZARA, ITALY, 13 MARCH, 1969)

 

 

 

 

She studied (piano, composition, voice) at the Music Conservatory in Barcelona, before making her debut in Genora, in 1913, as Gilda in ”Rigoletto”, a role she will remain closely associated with throughout her career.

In 1916, she made her debut at the Liceo in Barcelona, the Teatro Real in Madrid, the “Teatro Nacional San Carlos” in Lisbon, the Teatro Colon in Buenos Aires, as well as at the Paris Opera in 1917. Gilda was her debut role at all these opera houses.

Her Italian debut took place in Bologna, as Rosina in ”Il barbiere di Siviglia”, followed by Elvira in ”I puritani”, in Venice, opposite Giacomo Lauri-Volpi, she also appeared in Rome, before reaching La Scala in Milan, in 1924, again as Gilda, opposite baritone Carlo Galeffi and tenor Miguel Fleta, and conducted by Arturo Toscanini.

Capsir sang mainly in Europe, and in a very limited repertory, other roles included: Amina in ”La Sonnambula”, ”Lucia in Lucia di Lammermoor”, and Violetta in ”La traviata”. She took part in performances of Giordano’s ”Il Re” at La Scala in 1929.

Capsir retired from the stage in 1949, her final performance took place at the Liceo in Barcelona, as Carolina in ”Il matrimonio segreto”, and then turned to teaching. She died, aged 73, in Suzzara (Lombardy, Italy).

 

Chronology of some appearances

 

1916 Madrid  Teatro Reale Boheme (Mimi)

1917 Lisbona  Coliseo Recrejos Barbiere di Siviglia (Rosina)

1918  Barcellona  Teatro Bosque Barbiere di Siviglia (Rosina)

1918  Barcellona  Teatro Bosque Boheme (Mimi)

1919 Bologna  Teatro Apollo Barbiere di Siviglia (Rosina)

1920 Genova  Teatro Paganini Barbiere di Siviglia (Rosina)

1920  Citt  del Messico  Teatro Esperanza Iris Carmen (Micaela)

1923 Montecarlo  Teatro del Casinâ Boheme (Mimi)

1932 Roma  Teatro dell’Opera Don Pasquale (Norina)

1933 Bergamo Teatro Donizetti Don Pasquale (Norina)

 

TRACKLIST

 

 

1. Rigoletto (Verdi): Addio speranzo ed anima with Ferdinando Ciniselli HMV DA619 7-54030
2. Puritani (Bellini): Qui la voce HMV DB823 (2-053246)
3. Boheme (Puccini): Quando m’en vo Odeon 56.988 SO 1020
4. Manon (Massenet): Di gioventu ci profitiamo Odeon 56.992 SO2030
5. 6. Lakme (Delibes): Dov’e l’indiana bruna pt 1 and pt 2 Columbia D15255 B2376/B2384
6. 8. Lucia di Lammermoor (Donizetti) Regnava nel silenzio… Quandro rapito Columbia D15257, D15257, B2348, B2349
7. Boheme (Puccini): Mi chiamano Mimi Columbia WBX 486
8. 11. Dinorah (Meyerbeer): Ombra leggier… Ma giа tu t’ascondi Columbia D18067 WBX 476/47
9. Il Re (Giordano): Questa e la veste bianca Columbia D 15254 B2385
10. Il Re (Giordano): La bella mugnaina Columbia D 15254 B2386
11. 15. Il Carnevale di Venezia (Benedict) La bruna gondoletta pt 1 and pt 2 Columbia D 18062 BX 477/78
12. Rigoletto (Verdi): Caro nome Columbia D 18068 BX 519
13. Traviata (Verdi) Sempre libera Odeon Cat. Number doesn’t exist
14. El Carro del Sol (Serrano) Cancion Veneciana Odeon 57.048 SO 1363
15. El Maestro Campanone (Mazza): Al fin soy tuya Columbia LK4005 K2087
16. El Salto del Pasiego (Caballero) Dice el mundo que estoy loca Columbia R 14710 WK2089